AJ Edwards / Alex Preston / Jim Trick / Chris Ross

Thursday / January 23, 2014 / 8:00 p.m.

Cafe 939

939 Boylston Street

Boston

MA

02115

AJ Edwards

Though singer-songwriter AJ Edwards attests that it was U2′s 2001 Elevation tour that gave him the music bug, he had been listening to some of his favorite records long before that. “I used to hang out with my dad in his workshop when I was little and he would play records by Dire Straits, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and U2,” Edwards recalls. “When I was 16, he surprised me with tickets to see U2 in Boston, and I knew I wasn’t going to be doing any homework that night.”

Instead, Edwards called a family friend after the show to see if he could borrow one of his guitars to learn to play. The Boston-born artist began to realize his passion for songwriting and spent many late nights crafting a balanced set of original songs, which he would go on to perform in local bars and restaurants. Many of these early songs were recorded for his 2008 debut album, Start Over the Moon.

His latest EP, Where the Rain Ricochets, marks Edwards's first radio-ready release and features sessions with multiplatinum producer Aaron Johnson (the Fray) in conjunction with two homegrown recordings by producer/engineer David Lefkowitz (Johnny A). An independent success, the album earned Edwards opening slots for national acts, including Matt Nathanson, Augustana, Brett Dennen, the Lone Bellow, and Blue October.

Born and raised on the northern beaches of Sydney, Australia, Alex Preston started his musical career at a very young age, becoming an extremely competent jazz and blues guitarist by the age of 13. After studying music performance at the highest level throughout school, Preston found electronic music and fell in love with it.

For the last 20 years, Jim Trick has melded his original brand of alt-folk and solo acoustic rock with motivational life lessons taught and sung at retreats all over the country. Trick's concert appearances are intimate; with disarming humor and transparency Trick is able to instantly connect with his audience.

His fourth and most recent release, Jim Trick Buying the Field, was produced by Thomas Eaton (Vance Gilbert, Ellis Paul) and features a wonderful array of players, including Duke Levine, Maeve, and John Curtis (Pousette Dart, Patty Griffin).

Chris Ross is a folk musician from Bangor, Maine. His bold and confident sound have one main goal: to make you feel.